Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Dinner doesn’t get easier than this Slow Cooker Pulled Pork recipe! It’s an easy dump and go recipe that results in tender, flavorful shredded pork with minimal effort, and it’s great for tacos, nachos, sandwiches and more!
Planning dinner can be extremely cumbersome, so it’s nice to have back pocket recipes like Instant Pot shredded chicken and bbq pulled chicken that can be prepped ahead and used a variety of ways throughout the week.
Having a batch of Slow Cooker Pulled Pork ready to go in the fridge is another way to win at dinner time. Pork is always a welcome change in my household. My family loves oven baked pork chops, and this recipe can be served up so many different ways.
Like shredded chicken, pulled pork is a blank canvas that can be changed up with almost any spices, sauces or tossed into salads or grain bowls. Be sure to see my serving suggestions towards the bottom of this post!
If you want to get it on the table even faster, be sure to check out my Instant Pot Pulled Pork. It cooks up in a fraction of the time!
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- This easy crock pot pulled pork recipe is cooked for hours in the slow cooker with aromatics, spices and beer until falling apart tender.
- It takes just a few ingredients that can be customized to suit your tastes or utilize what you have on hand.
- It’s the perfect meal prep recipe that can be made entirely in advance and used a variety of ways throughout the week.
- Use gluten-free beer or a different cooking liquid to make this recipe gluten-free!
Recipe ingredients
There are just a few ingredients in this pulled pork crock pot recipe, and they can be changed up according to what you have on hand.
Ingredient notes
- Pork. The best cuts of pork for this recipe are pork shoulder and pork butt. Both include plenty of fat that melts into the meat, which makes it very tender.
- Spices. I rubbed the pork with a simple rub of kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika and cumin, but you can change things up with your favorite spices or rubs. If using regular table salt instead of kosher salt, be sure to cut the amount of salt in half.
- Aromatics. The onion and garlic impart a ton of flavor to the liquid, which is absorbed into the pork.
- Beer. While the beer is optional, it really adds great flavor. Any variety will work, and gluten-free beer may be used to make this recipe gluten-free. The beer may be substituted with chicken stock, pineapple juice, apple cider or your favorite liquid.
How to make this recipe
It doesn’t get easier than this slow cooker pulled pork. It takes several hours to make, so you can simply set it and forget it.
Pro tip: Prep the pork and aromatics the night before so that you can simply dump everything into the slow cooker in the morning and go!
- In a small bowl, combine the kosher salt, pepper, smoked paprika and cumin and sprinkle evenly over the pieces of pork.
- Place the diced onion and garlic in the bottom of the slow cooker, then place the pieces of pork over the top.
- Pour the beer over the pork and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for about 6 hours or until the pork is tender and shreds easily.
- Remove the pork from the slow cooker and place in a large bowl. Shred with two forks and discard any large pieces of fat. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, then add some of the liquid from the slow cooker for added moisture as necessary.
FAQ’s
The best cut of pork for pulled pork is pork shoulder or pork butt. Both cuts include plenty of fat marbling which melts into the meat, resulting in extremely tender pork.
The secret to pulled pork is cooking it low and slow for hours until it’s falling apart tender. This can be done in a slow cooker on the low setting or in a Dutch oven in the oven at a low temperature of 250 or 300 degrees. An Instant Pot or pressure cooker may also be used to achieve the same results in a little over an hour.
For maximum flavor, cut the pork into 4 large pieces and season well with salt and pepper or your favorite rub, and braise the pork in aromatics and a flavorful liquid such as chicken stock, beer, pineapple juice or apple cider.
If pulled pork is cooked too long, the meat will break down and become mushy.
Yes, leftover pulled pork may be frozen in a zip top bag or air tight container for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator, toss with your favorite sauce if using and reheat gently at lower heat.
Serving suggestions
The options are endless for this slow cooker pulled pork!
- Use as a topping for pizza or nachos.
- Toss with bbq sauce and serve in sandwiches or stuff inside baked sweet potatoes.
- Serve in burrito bowls with black beans and cilantro lime rice. They’re also great in tacos with pineapple salsa and guacamole.
- Toss in grain bowls and salads for a complete meal.
Recipe notes
- Pro tip: Prep the aromatics and pork the night before so that you can dump it all in the slow cooker in the morning and go!
- I prefer to cook this pork low and slow in the slow cooker. The longer it cooks, the more tender it will be!
- This slow cooker pulled pork recipe can be tossed in bbq sauce and used in sandwiches, as a filling for baked sweet potatoes or a topping for nachos. It’s also great tossed with tomatillo salsa for tacos!
- Change up the seasoning with my bbq chicken rub, taco seasoning, or use your favorite dry rub.
- Pork will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator, so it’s great for meal prep!
More easy slow cooker recipes you’ll love:
- Corned Beef and Cabbage
- Crockpot Chicken and Rice
- Greek Avgolemono Soup
- Slow Cooker Baked Ziti by The Recipe Rebel
- Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken
- Slow Cooker BBQ Meatball Subs
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment and star rating below, and be sure to tag me at @flavorthemoments on Instagram!
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Ingredients
For the pork:
- 4 lbs. pork shoulder cut into 4 large pieces
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt if using sea salt or regular table salt, reduce the amount of salt by half
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic smashed and peeled
- 12 ounces beer use your favorite regular or gluten-free beer, or substitute with stock, pineapple juice, apple cider or water
Equipment
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, smoked paprika and cumin and sprinkle evenly over the pieces of pork.
- Place the diced onion and garlic in the bottom of the slow cooker, then place the pieces of pork over the top.
- Pour the beer over the pork and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for about 6 hours or until tender enough to shred easily.
- Remove the pork from the slow cooker and place in a large bowl. Shred with two forks and discard any large pieces of fat. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, then add some of the liquid from the slow cooker for added moisture as necessary. Enjoy!
Notes
- Pro tip: Prep the aromatics and pork the night before so that you can dump it all in the slow cooker in the morning and go!
- I prefer to cook this pork low and slow in the slow cooker. The longer it cooks, the more tender it will be!
- This slow cooker pulled pork recipe can be tossed in bbq sauce and used in sandwiches, as a filling for baked sweet potatoes or a topping for nachos. It’s also great tossed with tomatillo salsa for tacos!
- Change up the seasoning with my bbq chicken rub, taco seasoning, or use your favorite dry rub.
- Pork will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator, so it’s great for meal prep!
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
**This recipe was originally published in June 2014. The photos have been updated and the text has been modified to include more recipe information.
31 Comments on “Slow Cooker Pulled Pork”
This looks amazing, Marcie, love the sauce. This is sure to please an entire crowd.
Thank you, Matt! 🙂
I had to post the buns and pork “de-constructed” — I was lucky to get photos that way. haha This way you can use your imagination how you want to serve it. 🙂 Thanks, Mary Frances, and have a great day!
Great minds think alight! Love pulled pork recipes, so I definitely need to try out your honey pineapple version! Sounds and looks delicious! 🙂
Great minds DO think alike! Heading over to see yours, Jessica! 🙂
Pulled pork is one of those things that is forever on my food bucket list but I somehow never get around to giving it a go. Got to change that! Especially love the idea of throwing it all in the slow cooker and walking away all day!
This recipe sounds and looks absolutely delicious and I’m definitely pinning it for later!
I didn’t get around to trying out pulled pork until the past few years and I was instantly hooked. It’s going to be my saving grace this summer when I’m out all day with the kids. Thank you for the pin, Helen, and have a great evening! 🙂
The flavor in this dish is just amazing!
Thank you, Jocelyn! It definitely perked up the old taste buds. 🙂
Man, that workout sounds intense, but what a great reward after! I always love a good pulled pork shoulder recipe, and as soon as I read the title of this one, my mouth was watering. I love that it includes pineapple and beer! I think I’d try this over rice with some black beans. Mmm!
The workout was intense, and I’m starting to think I pulled something in my abdomen! Is that even possible? 🙂 Regardless, thank you for stopping by, Lina, and I love your idea about black beans and rice with the pork. I’m going to have to try that! 🙂
It made me popular too, Carol, and it truly is the easy way to barbecue slow cooker style. Have a great evening! 🙂
I never used to eat pork much either, but when I do, it’s this kind. Best ever! 🙂
That Honey Pineapple Barbecue Sauce sounds amazing Marcie. Pinning!
And thanks for adding me to your new Pinterest Group Board! 🙂
I’ve really been into pineapple lately and it sure tasted good here! Glad to have you as a contributor to the group board!
I have a TRX and those ab exercises are killer! My stomach hurts for days. I’ve been some some harder workouts lately and spent the last 3 days hardly able to move my arms and sit up. I’m grunting and groaning non-stop. Haha Thankfully, that muscle confusion doesn’t last too long.
This pork looks delicious! I love how easy it is with using the crock pot. Pinning!
You know my pain then, Cindy! Actually, I’m starting to think I pulled a muscle cuz it’s never been this bad. It’s so much fun getting older.
I am so hungry right now Marcie and this just sounds AMAZING. Need to add this to our menu next week!
Thank you, Trish! I definitely need more easy meals like this that everybody loves. 🙂
This is the perfect reward after an intense workout – it looks amazing! I love the sound of the honey pineapple sauce and that this is all made in the slow cooker. I can just imagine how incredible this would taste sandwiched in between your honey whole wheat buns – mmmm!
It is a great reward! I was extra excited to eat the pulled pork with the homemade buns, too. 🙂 Thanks, Kelly, and have a great day!
I’ve been steering toward the tropical side of cooking lately — a sure sign I need a vacation! haha Thanks, Jamie, and have a great night! 🙂
I hope one day photographing main dishes gets easier — it’s a tricky business right now! Thank you, Sherri, and I hope you get to try the bbq sauce soon! 🙂
Totally in love with this sauce… I’d cook with it.. but also eat it up with a spoon! YUM!
I ate plenty of spoonfuls to “taste test”. I was one happy tester! 🙂
Looks amazing Marcie! And, I think putting it over sweet potatoes is an excellent idea – I would’ve never thought of that, but now you know what I’m craving!
Thanks, Kristi! I’m kind of craving that too, now that you mention it! Time to get some dinner. haha
Thank you, Juliana! I hope you’re doing well, and have a wonderful weekend! 🙂
Wish I could try that pizza — it sounds incredible! Thanks, Jessica! 🙂
Wow, that looks amazing Marcie!! I have yet to make pulled pork, or to pull the slow cooker out. I think it is about time that I do both! 😉
I hope you do try this, Lisa! Super easy and the leftovers are sure nice, too.:) Have a great weekend!